DEV Community: SOHAM CHAVAN

Run Claude Code for FREE on Your Machine Using OpenRouter

SOHAM CHAVAN — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:16:26 +0000

Tired of paying for Claude Pro just to get powerful AI coding help?

I recently set this up and now run top-tier models right in my terminal — completely free on the free tier. Perfect for freelance web developers who want Claude-level intelligence for building projects, debugging, and client work without extra expenses.

Quick Setup (takes < 5 minutes)

1. Install Claude Code


bash
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

2. Get your free OpenRouter API key
→ openrouter.ai
3. Add these lines to your ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc:

export OPENROUTER_API_KEY="your_key_here"
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://openrouter.ai/api"
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="$OPENROUTER_API_KEY"
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=""  # Important: keep this blank

4. Restart your terminal and run:
claude --model openrouter/free

That’s it. You now have a powerful coding assistant running in your terminal.
Pro tip for freelancers
Use this while building client projects. It speeds up Next.js/React work, Tailwind styling, API integrations, and debugging dramatically.
![ ](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/2arf96xmhu2l543s1jsn.jpeg)

Built a Blog App with Rails & PostgreSQL – Looking for Code Review!

SOHAM CHAVAN — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:01:51 +0000

Hey DEV community! 👋

I've been working on a Blog Application built with Ruby on Rails to practice backend architecture, clean code standards, and Rails idioms.

I'm sharing the repository to get feedback, code reviews, and suggestions on how to make the codebase cleaner and more scalable.

🚀 Tech Stack & Features

Backend: Ruby on Rails 7, PostgreSQL
Features: User authentication, post publishing, commenting system, dynamic permissions

🛠️ GitHub Repository

sohamchavan07 / Blog-App

Blog-App

A robust blogging platform built with Ruby on Rails and PostgreSQL.

Tech stack

Ruby (>= 3.x)
Rails (>= 8.x)
PostgreSQL
JavaScript (importmap / optional Node build tooling)
TailwindCSS, Stimulus, Devise, Stripe

Quickstart (local development)

Clone the repo

git clone https://github.com/sohamchavan07/Blog-App.git
cd Blog-App

Install dependencies

bundle install
bin/setup || (yarn install || npm install)

Environment

Copy example env and add required keys (Stripe keys, DB URL, secrets):

cp .env.example .env
# edit .env and add STRIPE_* and other secrets

Database

rails db:create db:migrate db:seed

Start the app

bin/dev
# or: rails server

Open http://localhost:3000

Tests

Run the test suite with:

bin/rails test
# or if using RSpec: bundle exec rspec

Common commands

Install gems: bundle install
Install JS deps: yarn install or npm install
Run migrations: rails db:migrate
Seed: rails db:seed
Start dev server: bin/dev or rails server

Screenshots

Environment variables (examples)

DATABASE_URL or standard config/database.yml settings
RAILS_MASTER_KEY or config/master.key
…

View on GitHub

🔍 Where I'm Looking for Feedback

Controller vs Model Boundaries: Are controllers thin enough, or am I leaning on the wrong layer for business logic?
Database Performance: Any obvious N+1 queries or missing indexes on foreign keys?
Rails Conventions: Code smells or areas where I can better follow "Convention over Configuration"?

I’d love any constructive feedback, refactoring ideas, or suggestions on what to build next. Drop your thoughts below!

Stop building 'scalable' architecture for a product with zero users

SOHAM CHAVAN — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 21:52:29 +0000